The smoke soon enveloped Noah Diaz and filled the entire basement.

“If you don’t want it taken from you, you must protect it well.”

Leopold couldn’t open his eyes due to the acrid smoke. Noah’s eerie and low voice pierced Leopold’s ears.

‘This is! The dark magic that Diaton used.’

He tried to draw his sword, but the hand that had been gripping Noah’s collar was already lightened.

Noah Diaz turned into smoke and disappeared right in front of Leopold.

“How could this happen!”

Only Leopold’s shout echoed emptily in the basement.

***

As the sun that had conveyed the hot summer energy to the land was setting, Ariel went up to her bedroom early to fully recover from the travel fatigue.

May turned on the light in the dark room.

But as the darkness vanished, an unexpected presence appeared.

Both Ariel and May swallowed their screams.

“Thank you, May. You should rest too.”

Ariel spoke in a tone pretending not to be surprised, sending a look to May indicating that she no longer needed to attend to her for the day.

May nodded, understanding the unspoken message from her mistress. She carefully stepped out of the room.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Rest well.”

Click-!

As the door closed, Ariel walked towards Leopold, who was lying face down on the bed.

“I thought no one was here because the lights were off.”

She sat at the edge of the bed and stroked his unresponsive hair.

His jet-black hair slipped through her fingers.

Despite Ariel’s gentle voice, Leopold remained motionless, his face buried in the bed.

“Leopold.”

She called again. But still, there was no response. She reached out and turned his face towards her.

His eyes were bloodshot and filled with fear.

“What happened?”

Ariel’s white hand cupped his cheek. Leopold placed his hand over hers.

“What should I do, Ariel?”

“What is it about?”

“It seems Noah Diaz has obtained a sinister power.”

A sinister power, was he referring to the dark magic that Diaton wielded?

Hadn’t the dark magic disappeared along with Diaton within the holy power?

Ariel helped him sit up.

“Tell me in detail.”

Her jade-colored eyes stared straight into Leopold’s.

“I interrogated him today. Noah Diaz said he used all his abilities to turn back time. He claimed it was he who brought you here……. Originally, he said he was the Demon King Aristo.”

Fragments of memory flashed through Ariel’s mind.

She recalled the time shortly after he saved her in Norca, when he visited her home and said:

―Ariel Clark, I know your secret.

―That you are not from this place, and even the reason you came here.

The reason Noah knew the secret she hadn’t told even May, Ron, or her master Hyle was precisely that.

‘Noah Diaz. You were the one who brought me here.’

All the lingering questions that had been bothering her were resolved.

“Judging by the circumstances, it seems everything he said is true. Because Aristo turned back time, he defied causality. As a punishment, he became human and lost all his powers……. It seems he has regained them.”

“Yes. Smoke suddenly rose, and he vanished without a trace.”

Experiencing such immense power again reminded him of the desperate sorrow and grief he felt during those urgent moments when he feared losing Ariel.

It was a trauma.

He feared the same thing might happen again.

Could he save Ariel with his abilities?

He couldn’t even free her from mere hangovers. What could he possibly do for her?

If not for Liese Clark’s holy power, he wouldn’t have been able to save Ariel in the Helmir Forest.

Yet, Ariel, seemingly unaware of his concerns, tilted her head with clear eyes, looking puzzled as if she couldn’t understand.

“What are you so afraid of? I am here.”

She smiled at him beautifully and brightly.

“Because you are by my side, I am more afraid.”

“We haven’t solved the problem, but we were quite happy in Macglier, weren’t we? Let’s just live our daily lives like we did then. If Noah Diaz attacks unexpectedly, we’ll fight together. I’m strong. Much stronger than what you saw in Macglier.”

Why does it hurt so much?

‘Damn it-! So weak. I ended up telling Ariel that I’m afraid.’

Her comfort made him feel endlessly small, and his abilities seemed so insignificant.

He felt his limits when he couldn’t annihilate the demonic beasts all at once in Macglier.

But if he were to confront the source of the sinister power, he couldn’t guarantee he would fight on equal terms.

‘In this state, I can’t possibly face Ariel.’

Leopold’s eyelids drooped.

“Leo.”

Ariel brought her face to where his gaze was directed.

But soon his gaze shifted elsewhere.

“If you’re uneasy, let’s go to the White territory together tomorrow. Though quite some time has passed, there might be a clue there.”

“Yes, thank you.”

What should I do to make this person regain his strength……. Ariel wanted to move closer and kiss him.

However,

‘This dress is cumbersome.’

Because of the thick ruffles of the skirt, Ariel couldn’t get close to Leopold.

Ariel got off the bed and stood in front of him.

‘I’ve never done anything like this before, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps…’

Ariel licked her lips to prepare herself. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said,

“These clothes are uncomfortable.”

At her voice, filled with cuteness, Leopold reflexively looked up at her.

She’s probably trying to cheer me up, thinking she might try something seductive.

‘Cute.’

Her blushing cheeks from embarrassment. Her jade-colored eyes glancing at him, gauging his reaction.

Her heart that thinks of me.

Everything about you is lovely.

Leopold tried to suppress the smile creeping onto his lips, maintaining a cold and expressionless face.

“I want to sit close to you, but I can’t because of the dress.”

Although she appeared shy, glancing at him, Ariel was screaming inside.

‘Ah-! This cuteness doesn’t suit me at all.’

Her hands and feet were curling up, and it felt like space and time were twisting.

Ariel let out a low breath.

“Are you asking me to take it off?”

Leopold asked, pretending not to understand her intention.

“Oh, can you? I feel bad calling May back just for this after she just went to rest…”

At Ariel’s playful words, Leopold stood up and moved behind her.

His fingertips gently traced down Ariel’s spine. Ariel’s body flinched and tensed up.

But Leopold did not hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him, and slowly started to undress her.

Ariel shuddered at the intermittent touch of his fingers on her back.

Soon, her heart began to race, and the dress that had covered her body fell to the floor.

Her slender waist, visible through the thin chemise, formed a soft curve with her hips.

“Ariel…”

Leopold softly murmured her name, almost like a sigh, as he took in her beauty. He then lifted her up in his arms.

“Ah-! Wait, Your Majesty!”

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

As he laid Ariel on the bed, her golden hair spread out like silk on the bed. Leopold’s red eyes darkened as he looked down at her.

“…Yes.”

Ariel averted her gaze in embarrassment.

The clumsy act was over.

The excitement rising from her heart dominated her face.

Leopold placed his hand on the bed next to Ariel’s face. He slowly lowered himself over her.

Ariel’s lips, panting shallowly, caught his eye.

A fierce heat made Leopold’s mind hazy.

‘I’m going crazy. If I don’t hold her right now.’

He kissed Ariel’s forehead. His lips brushed against her soft skin, moving down to her eyebrows, earlobes, and the tip of her nose.

Finally, he captured her lips.

Leopold bit her lower lip gently. When she parted her lips with a moan, he slipped inside and explored her tender flesh.